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House Bywater (The Grand Campaign)
History of House Bywater Very little has been recorded regarding the past of House Bywater. It is presumed that they have been lords or higher in and around the Kingswood for many generations. As the Kingswood isn't on the stormland borders, it is presumed that it has been under the control of the Durrandon Storm Kings for centuries, with house Bywater as a vassal as the house is named after the county which they use as their seat. Bywater is situated in Blackwater Bay, a strategic natural bay that has been both a luxury and a misfortune to sailors as it offers access to many ports but is dangerous to traverse. House Bywater has three fish on their coat of arms, and it is presumed that this is because they were originally reliant on the sea for survival. The Bleeding Years 4 BC - 6 AC House Bywater was a loyal vassal of the Storm Kings of the House Durrandon for centuries prior to the invasion of the Targaryens. The head of the house at the time of the invasion was Lady Arianne, first of her name. A kind and honourable woman, Arianne served faithfully to her king, Argilac 'the Arrogant'. Argilac was an old man however, and was infirm relatively fast. He passed leaving his kingdom to his only daughter, Argella. Argella was no different from her father and continued to lead the stormlands into expansion and prosperity. Arianne had twin son's at the break of the invasion, and by the time Argilac had passed, her eldest, Symon was already being noted for future alliances through marriage. He was betrothed to the daughter of the Lord of Tarth. Soon, various rebellions broke out throughout the kingdom, and with the stormlands being one of the last regions to be taken by the invaders it soon became a mess. The countryside and castles were razed and the people of Bywater in particular suffered from the force of both sides. The rebellers won the war to depose Arianne and put her eight-year-old son in a position of power. After the invasion was complete the kingdom was at peace for the rest of Symon's childhood. The Carnage 6 AC - 20 AC Six years had passed since the dragon lords had invaded Westeros. After coming close to a succession crisis with the relatively small family, Lord Symon, first of his name, was coming of age. The girl from Tarth whom he was betrothed to was a genius, and only three years younger. His parents were glad to see that the family would continue on with such genetics. Sadly though, Symon was raised by a courtier, rather than the Maester or his parents. He didn't learn how to fight properly, and his teacher encouraged him to be ruthless and cruel. He became very ambitious, and stubborn in giving up on achieving his goals. What was worse was his desire for other women. After having a sickly son for an heir, he turned away from his caring wife and looked towards the other prettier girls in court. Within two years he had fathered a handful of bastards and his wife and siblings resented him for it. Nearing his 20th name day, came the Grand tourney of Oldtown, hosted by the Conqueror himself. Symon declined the invite and insulted the dragon lord, who luckily for him didn't react. The events that followed shortly after the tourney were disastrous. Orys Baratheon, Lord Paramount of the Iron Isles was executed by his half-brother, the king, as well as Orys' eldest daughter, whom was being set up to marry the prince. The mayhem that followed incited revolts across all of Westeros, from Dorne and the Reach to the Vale and the North. Each rebellion was put down one after another, each barely lasting a year at a time. Symon, as ruthless as he was, persisted for the new queen of the stormlands, Lia, to at least wait for the right opportunity to rebel, as he had been witnessing powerful families being exterminated one after another by the king. Caught between hearing advice from Symon, who was her brother-in-law, and the Lord of Tarth, who has her brother, she chose to rebel. The end result was the Stormlands and all other durrandon land being revoked, as well as the queen being executed. Luckily for Symon, his mother had been wise and spent most of the savings on increasing long term income. After a painful few years in a jail cell at the Red Keep, Symon was able to ransom himself and resume as High Lord of the Kingswood, essentially unaffected by the rebellion. Symon being the ambitious lad that he is tried to ask for the Stormlands, but the king laughed and made his fourth son the Lord Paramount instead. The Downfall 21 AC - 53 AC Since the rebellions, Symon had a hard time controlling his vassals after a failed rebellion against the Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, he was overthrown and sent to the Night's Watch. Together with his brother, they spent almost 30 years as builders before both dying in the same year. Shortly before being overthrown, Symon had a son named Aurane. Aurane was brought up with neither of his parents, and had to control the county of Bywater with only the counsel of his advisors and his older sisters. He eventually joined with a number of Kingswood vassals and attempted to overthrow the new Langward owners and take the high lordship for himself. The rebellion was put down and Aurane died in prison at the age of 24. Leaving no heir, with his father being a black brother, the county of Bywater was lost. The only member of the house to still have land as of AD 52 is a baron in the northern reach.